Finance
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi launched the State-Level Bikash Mela-2025 at the IDCO Exhibition Ground here on Wednesday, marking the end of his one-year tenure.
The event, held as part of the state government’s anniversary celebrations, is viewed as both a display of accomplishments and a reaffirmation of the government’s commitment to inclusive development. The mela will last till June 18.
The Chief Minister went to numerous exposition stands to highlight departmental work and showcase Odisha’s rich tapestry of handlooms, handicrafts, and local entrepreneurship. A food court has also been established, with over 40 stalls run by women under the Subhadra Shakti program, serving a variety of traditional Odia foods.
Chief Minister Majhi addressed a big crowd and reminisced on the previous year’s experience. He stated that the people of Odisha had brought about a shift in governance on the basis of their ambitions and trust, and that his government had fought tirelessly to uphold that trust.
“The past year has brought us many challenges, but we have transformed them into opportunities. Guided by the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we have delivered on many of our key promises. Our commitments are not fleeting like lines drawn on water, but enduring like carvings on stone. We have kept our word,” he said.
The Chief Minister emphasised that the core of democracy lies in the ability of people to express themselves and be heard.
He pointed out that since assuming office, he has made it a priority to personally meet citizens across districts to resolve grievances on the spot.
He used the extraordinary effort of relocating the whole state administration to Sambalpur for a Jan Sunani session as an example of the government’s direct involvement with the population. He announced that he will continue to tour constituencies around the state in the following months.
CM Majhi also stated that a fight against corruption has begun, claiming that no official, whether a peon or an IAS officer, is immune from examination.
He said that the government has kept nearly all of the 21 pledges it made at the beginning of its mandate. With the assistance of the Centre and Prime Minister Modi, the state administration strived to empower all segments of society, notably the poor, farmers, women, and young.
In response to critics, he stated that what the opposition could not do in 24 years, his government accomplished in 24 minutes.
Among the major achievements highlighted were a significant increase in farming families’ incomes through the Krushak Kalyan Yojana, the creation of over 27,000 government jobs, raising the upper age limit for government employment to 42 years, and the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat health scheme.
SEBC students received 11.25 percent reservation in higher education, while investments worth ₹17 lakh crore under the Utkarsh Odisha 2025 plan created over 13 lakh employment. The formation of the South Odisha and North Odisha Development Councils, he said, was intended to ensure equitable development across all regions.
Minister for Cooperation, Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts Pradeep Bal Samanta, in his address, said that under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, Odisha was striving for self-reliance and prosperity at every level. The recently launched Vikashit Gaon Vikashit Odisha Yojana, he said, aimed to realise the dream of a developed Odisha through the social, cultural, and economic upliftment of its villages.
Pravati Parida, Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Women and Child Development and Tourism, and Babu Singh, Ekamra Bhubaneswar MLA, were also in attendance at the ceremony.
Guha Poonam Tapas Kumar, Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Handlooms, Textiles, and Handicrafts Department, gave the vote of gratitude.
